The Pi coding agent, compiled ahead of time to native code.
One executable for Linux x86-64 and ARM64, macOS on Apple silicon and Windows x64.
No JIT, no Node.js or Bun required.
Install · Benchmarks · Docs · Website
Pi-Bolt is the Pi you already use, with the same commands, sessions, settings, providers and extensions, but every function is compiled to machine code when the executable is built, so nothing is parsed or JIT-compiled at launch. Against Pi as released on Node 24, it writes a 400 KB file 120 times faster, uses 8 times less CPU while a long answer streams, 7 times less over a session and a quarter of the memory; against Pi on stock Bun, much the same.
pi-bolt-v5-github.mp4 #
| Pi on Node 24 | Pi‑Bolt | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to type | 423 ms | 41 ms<sub>10× sooner</sub> |
| Writing a 400 KB file through a tool call | 143.7 s | 1.2 s<sub>120× faster</sub> |
| CPU while a long answer streams | 18.6 s | 2.3 s<sub>8× less</sub> |
| CPU per prompt, 40 prompts into a session | 352 ms | 46 ms<sub>7.7× less</sub> |
| Memory after 40 prompts | 521 MB | 117 MB<sub>4.5× less</sub> |
<sub>Pi-Bolt 1.0.0 against Pi 1.4.0 as released, Linux x86-64, one CPU. Every platform: Benchmarks.</sub>
- Nothing to install first: one executable; no Node.js, Bun or npm to run it.
- The same Pi: same commands, sessions, settings and providers; every Pi extension works unchanged.
- Long sessions stay fast: a frame costs about the same with 4,000 messages as with none, and typing stays responsive.
- Everywhere: Linux x86-64 and ARM64 (Android too, in Termux), macOS on Apple silicon, Windows x64.
Linux, macOS, Android (Termux)
curl -fsSL https://pi-bolt.opensec.in/install.sh | sh
Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://pi-bolt.opensec.in/install.ps1 | iex
Or:
- Command Prompt:
powershell -c "irm https://pi-bolt.opensec.in/install.ps1 | iex" - npm:
npm install -g --allow-scripts=pi-bolt pi-bolt - Bun:
bun add -g --trust pi-bolt - Arch Linux: the community AUR package
pi-bolt-avx2-bin-release-git(the x86-64 AVX2 build, signature checked),paru -S pi-bolt-avx2-bin-release-git
Then, in your project:
pi-bolt # start
pi-bolt update # install the latest release
pi-bolt update --rollback # put back the build it replaced
pi-bolt update --channel beta # take pre-releases too
New to Pi? Run /login to connect a provider. Your Pi configuration in ~/.pi/agent is used as is. Pi-Bolt installs next to Pi as pi-bolt, so both can stay installed;
running the installer again updates, reinstalls or uninstalls it.
Optional extensions the installer offers #
The installer verifies the release signature and offers three optional extensions by OpenSec:
opensec-pi-subagents: specialized agents in separate sessions, parallel workflows and scheduled jobs.opensec-pi-todo: a todo list for the model, shown as a live panel above the editor.opensec-pi-fff: pi-fff's fast fuzzy find, grep and@-mentions, at full speed on the default build.
JIT build, for heavy plugins #
The default build has no JIT: Pi's own code is compiled machine code, and an extension loaded at run time is interpreted. Light
extensions don't notice. For extensions that do heavy work (search, parsing) or use bun:ffi, install the JIT build. Pi itself
stays compiled, so it is within about 5% of the default.
curl -fsSL https://pi-bolt.opensec.in/install.sh | PIBOLT_VARIANT=arm64-jit sh
curl -fsSL https://pi-bolt.opensec.in/install.sh | PIBOLT_VARIANT=x64-jit sh
On Windows, run $env:PIBOLT_VARIANT = "x64-jit" before the PowerShell command. With npm, keep PIBOLT_VARIANT set in your
shell profile; it is read on every run. pi-bolt --version then ends in JIT on, and pi-bolt update keeps the build you
chose.
On the default build, an extension that needs the JIT (it calls into a native library through bun:ffi) fails with a line that
names the extension and gives the command that switches to the JIT build.
Manual download #
Download a build from the latest release, check it against
SHA256SUMS, unpack it and run ./pi (on Windows, pi-bolt.exe).
| Download | For |
|---|---|
pi-bolt-linux-x64.tar.xz |
Linux , CPUs with AVX2 (Intel Haswell, AMD Zen and later) |
pi-bolt-linux-x64-baseline.tar.xz |
Linux, any x86-64 CPU |
pi-bolt-linux-arm64.tar.xz |
Linux ARM64, any 64-bit ARM CPU (Raspberry Pi 3 and later, AWS Graviton, Ampere) |
pi-bolt-darwin-arm64.tar.xz |
macOS , Apple silicon |
pi-bolt-win32-x64.zip |
Windows x64; compiled code on CPUs with AVX2, bytecode on others |
-jit builds are for heavy use of plugins loaded at run time; the runtime and kit archives are what pi-bolt compile builds
with (compiling plugins in). In Termux, use the installer: it sets the executable's to Termux's glibc
(Android).
Android (Termux) #
In Termux from F-Droid or GitHub (the Google Play version has no glibc packages), run the same
curl ... | sh command. Pi-Bolt is a glibc program and Android's libc is not glibc, so the installer first installs Termux's
glibc (pkg install glibc-repo && pkg install glibc, after asking), sets it as the executable's , and links pi-bolt
into $PREFIX/bin.
pi-bolt is a small launcher that starts Pi-Bolt in Android's time zone and without Termux's LD_PRELOAD (a library of
Android's libc, which glibc cannot load); the programs Pi-Bolt starts get it back. The installer copies Termux's resolv.conf
and hosts to $PREFIX/glibc/etc, where Termux's glibc reads them.
Requirements #
-
Linux x86-64 or ARM64 with glibc 2.17 or later (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, RHEL/Rocky 8+, Amazon Linux 2, Raspberry Pi OS 64-bit). musl is not supported.
-
Android 7 or later on 64-bit ARM, in Termux.
-
macOS 13 or later on Apple silicon. Install with the installer or npm (Troubleshooting ).
-
Windows 10 (1809) or later, or Windows 11, on x64. Install with the installer or npm; for problems, seeTroubleshooting: Windows .
-
Windows on ARM64 runs the x64 build, in Windows 11's x64 emulation.
-
Editors:
pi-bolt --acpruns Pi-Bolt in the agent panel of Zed, JetBrains IDEs, VS Code, Neovim and otherACP editors, with your Pi settings, extensions, skills and sessions.Setup -
Other agents:
pi-bolt --mcpis anMCP server; other agents give Pi-Bolt a task with itsprompttool and continue the session in later calls.Setup -
Built-in search: the
grepandfindtools are on by default and search in-process, following.gitignore, with nothing to install. Withopensec-pi-fffor@ff-labs/pi-fffloaded, FFF's search tools are used instead. -
Compiled plugins:
pi-bolt compilecompiles the extensions installed on this machine into your Pi-Bolt (Linux and macOS) with the release's own compiler, where they run as machine code;pi-bolt updatecompiles them into each new release.Plugins -
Doctor:
pi-bolt doctorprints a plain-text report of your installation to paste into an issue.Details -
Updates:
pi-bolt updateinstalls the latest release, and--rollbackputs back the build it replaced. -
Herdr: Pi-Bolt shows its state in aHerdr pane, and a Herdr restart reopens the conversation.Details
-
ARM64 and Android: Linux ARM64 builds, and the same installer in Termux.Android
Pi extensions work unchanged. The default build has no JIT, so an extension loaded at run time is interpreted; compile the ones
you use every day into Pi-Bolt with pi-bolt compile, or use the JIT build.
Setup in Zed and Claude Code #
In Zed's settings.json (other editors):
"agent_servers": {
"Pi-Bolt": { "type": "custom", "command": "/full/path/to/pi-bolt", "args": ["--acp"], "env": {} }
}
In Claude Code (other clients):
claude mcp add pi-bolt -- /full/path/to/pi-bolt --mcp
Pi and Pi-Bolt side by side #
Pi-Bolt uses Pi's agent directory (~/.pi/agent) and shared packages list. Ordinary pi-bolt install and pi-bolt remove
update that shared list, just as Pi does, and drop Pi-Bolt's own entry for that package, so both load what the shared list
declares. Add --pi-bolt to change only Pi-Bolt's overrides. Using fictional package names:
pi-bolt install --pi-bolt npm:@example/bolt-tools
pi-bolt remove --pi-bolt npm:@example/shared-tools
piBolt.packages extends the shared list. A -source entry excludes an inherited package from Pi-Bolt without changing Pi;
other shared packages remain inherited. See Configuration.
{
"packages": ["npm:@juicesharp/rpiv-todo"],
"piBolt": { "packages": ["-npm:@juicesharp/rpiv-todo", "npm:opensec-pi-todo"] }
}
pi-bolt doctor #
pi-bolt doctor prints a report of your installation, in plain text to paste into an issue: the build and how it was installed,
whether the release's signature verifies, which extensions are compiled in, run at run time or fail to load, how Pi's packages
and piBolt.packages differ, the Herdr and editor setup, and the problems it finds, such as another pi-bolt earlier on your
PATH. It prints no keys or tokens, and shows your home folder as ~. pi-bolt doctor --offline leaves out the release
signature and the check for a newer version.
Herdr #
In a Herdr pane, Pi-Bolt shows up as pi-bolt (idle, working or blocked), and a Herdr restart reopens the
same conversation in the same pane. There is nothing to install; "-builtin:herdr" in the extensions setting turns it off.
Restoring a session needs Herdr 0.9.2 or later. To start other agents in Herdr panes from Pi-Bolt, install
pi-herdr: pi-bolt install npm:@andrewjacop/pi-herdr.
Pi-Bolt 1.0.0 against Pi 1.4.0 as released on npm, run by stock Bun 1.4.4 and by Node 24, doing the same work against the same local model; lower is better.
Linux x86-64 #
| Benchmark | Pi-Bolt | Pi on Bun | Pi on Node 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing a 400 KB file through a tool call, s | 1.2 | 194.8 | 143.7 |
| CPU, streaming a 60,000-character answer, s | 2.34 | 21.92 | 18.62 |
| CPU per prompt, prompts 21 to 40 of a session, ms | 46 | 328 | 352 |
| CPU, interactive session, ms | 167 | 1,087 | 1,180 |
| Memory after 40 prompts, MB | 117 | 309 | 521 |
| Ready to type, ms | 41 | 366 | 423 |
Linux ARM64 #
| Benchmark | Pi-Bolt | Pi on Bun | Pi on Node 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing a 400 KB file through a tool call, s | 1.3 | 164.1 | 134.5 |
| CPU, streaming a 60,000-character answer, s | 2.32 | 18.82 | 18.19 |
| CPU per prompt, prompts 21 to 40 of a session, ms | 42 | 280 | 299 |
| CPU, interactive session, ms | 156 | 1,021 | 1,099 |
| Memory after 40 prompts, MB | 120 | 299 | 640 |
| Ready to type, ms | 37 | 334 | 390 |
macOS (Apple M5) #
| Benchmark | Pi-Bolt | Pi on Bun | Pi on Node 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing a 400 KB file through a tool call, s | 0.6 | 76.2 | 96.7 |
| CPU, streaming a 60,000-character answer, s | 1.35 | 7.10 | 6.47 |
| CPU per prompt, prompts 21 to 40 of a session, ms | 17 | 111 | 149 |
| CPU, interactive session, ms | 80 | 485 | 523 |
| Memory after 40 prompts, MB | 89 | 746 | 1,363 |
| Ready to type, ms | 24 | 120 | 151 |
Windows x64 #
| Benchmark | Pi-Bolt | Pi on Bun | Pi on Node 24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing a 400 KB file through a tool call, s | 1.8 | 131.0 | 110.1 |
| CPU, streaming a 60,000-character answer, s | 2.69 | 44.86 | 39.01 |
| CPU per prompt, prompts 21 to 40 of a session, ms | 53 | 278 | 379 |
| CPU, interactive session, ms | 213 | 1,266 | 1,286 |
| Memory after 40 prompts, MB | 79 | 286 | 378 |
| Ready to type, ms | 78 | 300 | 363 |
GitHub's runners for Linux (pinned to one CPU) and Windows (2 cores; memory there is the working set); macOS on an Apple M5,
not pinned. Node 22, the method and the raw data: bench/results/2026-10-23-stock-bun-1.0.0.
Against PiG 0.5.1 (Pi ported to Go): Pi-Bolt against PiG. Every other result, and the method: docs/BENCHMARKS.md.
- Bun bundles Pi and compiles it to JavaScriptCore bytecode.
- An ahead-of-time compiler turns every function into optimized x86-64 or ARM64 machine code, through B3, the back end of JavaScriptCore's top-tier JIT.
- A prebuilt heap holds Pi's modules already loaded, and is mapped from the executable at launch.
- A training profile orders the code so that startup touches as few pages as possible.
Diagram and sources #
The compiler builds on oven-sh/WebKit#743. Pi-Bolt ports it to x86-64 and macOS
and adds its own code generation and runtime work (docs/ARCHITECTURE.md). packages/ is the Pi release
named in sources.json with Pi-Bolt's changes on top; the engine changes are in patches/.
- Architecture : what the executable contains, how it is built, what happens at launch
- Building : building the runtime and Pi from source, training profiles, tests
- Benchmarks : method, results and raw data
- Plugins : porting Pi extensions and writing them for AOT
- Editors : Pi-Bolt in Zed, JetBrains IDEs, VS Code and other ACP editors
- Other agents : Pi-Bolt as a tool of other agents and MCP clients
- Troubleshooting : diagnostics, environment variables, known limitations
- Releasing : CI, releases, signing
Bug reports, benchmarks on other hardware and fixes are welcome: see CONTRIBUTING.md. Report security issues privately, as described in SECURITY.md.
Build from source #
git clone https://github.com/opensec-git/Pi-Bolt.git && cd Pi-Bolt
scripts/fetch-runtime.sh # the released Pi-Bolt runtime (or build it: docs/BUILDING.md)
scripts/prepare-pi.sh # builds the Pi in this repository
scripts/build-pi.sh # out/pi-bolt/pi
tests/aot/run.sh # engine tests
MIT. Release executables include Bun (MIT), JavaScriptCore (LGPL-2.0 and BSD), ICU (Unicode License) and Pi (MIT); see THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.
Note
Pi-Bolt is an independent fork of Pi, not affiliated with Pi's authors or with Oven.
Built on Pi by Mario Zechner and contributors, and Bun by Oven.